Plate Lunch Special
Time for some grub, so we head over to another local joint for a plate lunch special: skinless teriyaki chicken with steamed rice and noodles. The dishes were designed as quick takeout lunches for the various blue collar workers and reflect a mixture of the local ethnic cuisines: a foundation in Japanese food, with Chinese, Filipino and Hawaiian items added in. Yum!
Waimea Canyon & Koke'e
On the west side of Kaua'i, we stop by one of the most spectacular sights the island is known for: the Waimea Canyon. Commonly referred to as the "Grand Canyon of Hawaii", the view from the outlook is simply breathtaking. Much like my experience with the Grand Canyon in Arizona, various hues in the canyon will change and show up differently in your pictures depending upon the time of your visit and the sun's angle. One of those very intriguing photographic experiences that I must return to.
At the far end of Waimea Canyon is another state park: Koke'e. Though much quieter then Waimea Canyon, Koke'e has its own unique feature: flocks of roosters on the loose! While feral roosters are found throughout Kaua'i, an unusually large congregation awaited us.
When we arrived, a large flock of these roosters were milling about the parking lot. I pull out my camera and got a few close up shots of individuals with brilliant plummage. Then a mom & her child walk by us and the flock starts following them down the parking lot!
After the fun adventures in Waimea Canyon & Koke'e, we head out to the far west end of the island at Polihale Beach. From this last stretch, you can view the nearly inaccessible Na Pali cliffs. Basically, the big five islands in the Hawaiian chain each have roads that circumvent the entire island, except for Kaua'i. The Na Pali cliffs are spectacular, but too steep for roadbuilding. Thus, the best views are from offshore, but the boat pricings were a little out of our reach. So, we enjoyed the free scenery from the west end.
We stop by one more location in the southern part of the island: Po'ipu. One of the unique features is a blowhole in the basalt lava formations at the beach. When a strong swell rolls in, its power pushes thru and up the blowhole, much like a whale exhaling its air. Really cool, but folks have been hurt getting too close. A good outing in western & southern Kauai, and it was now time to return to the hotel.